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Not much I can reallly say other than ****. Saints went out this evening after losing 2 - 1 to Peterborough. An own goal from Rasiak put them in front, shortly followed by another Peterborough goal. Saints pulled one back before half time, and despite controlling posession for most of the second half, never looked like clawing back as Peterborugh battled in defence. Well I sat down with beer in hand with my son to watch a revised Saints team set about rectifying the mistakes of saturday. What I wasn't prepared to see was the ball in the air for 90% of the game. Last season we were stated as one of the best footballing sides in the division, and yet last night I thought I was watching two League 2 sides. Sure we had possession but did nothing with it! Our problems are in defence not in our front line, and yet we could not break down a resolute League 2 side. Set pieces again were our undoing. A corner on 20 minutes glanced off Rasiaks head into the top left corner of his own goal. I often wonder why we use strikers in defence, I am sure there is a logical reason, but their mindset is on scoring and I do tend to worry when they are in there defending corners. It was a shock goal and one we could bounce back from. Saints almost levelled 3 minutes later when a curling free kick from Scacel fro 28 yards hit the post but no-one there to turn it in. Almost immediately Peterborough stretched the lead when a diaganol ball picked out Keates with space to the right of goal. Bart saved the initial shot but the ball broke to the UNMARKED Boyd who steered it into the unguarded net. Fortunately before half time, dyer drove down the right and with some clever ball work despatched two defenders to drive the ball across the area for Rasiak to slide and tap into the goal. again Peterborough broke the offside trap and with Bart off his line Mclean tried to chip him, this time Bart manged to reach the ball to prevent a third goal. Throughout the second half Peterborough dug in and looked dangerous on the break and set pieces, coming close a number of times. Saints had possession and passed the ball well. Although a well established strike force no way could be found to breach the Peterborough defence. My opinion is that this is a different side to last seasons. Sure we have lost two of our best players, but that shouldn't affect the front line or midfield, and too often we played the long ball. Last season we played quality football and as I stated before we ARE one of the best footballing sides in this division. so with defence weaknesses aside we should be playing the ball not the side, and we should be showing why we are the BEST footballing side in this division. If panic sets in I can see that going down the pan as we resolutely bang the ball into the air in the hope that it reaches another saints player. Instead of moaning about our weaknesses, which we know about, we should be concentrating on what we have. We can beat sides like this, and we should not be drawn into playing how they want to play either. So Norwich will be interesting won't it? Peterborough: Jalal, Low, Blackett, Morgan, Newton (Westwood 80), Hyde, McLean, Boyd (Crow 45), Keates, Day, Whelpdale (Lee 45). Subs: Howe, Tyler. Saints: Bialkowski, Wright, Bennett, Makin, Skacel, Dyer, Safri, Licka (McGoldrick 77), Surman (Vignal 64), Rasiak (Saganowski 62), Wright-Phillips. Subs: Ostlund, Viafara. Referee: P Joslin (Notts) Attendance: 4,087 (including 609 Saints fans)
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